Making Rounds
A Lillington mom finds just the right place for her baby’s care
When Kristen Rosser and her husband, Grant, were awaiting the birth of their first child, they did what most expectant parents do. They stocked up on diapers, discussed names they liked and researched the best cribs and highchairs.
They also made sure to carefully choose their pediatrician. Kristen knew they wanted a practice that would take their time with the baby, and with them as new parents.
“I wanted to make sure it was a place where we would feel like we weren’t just a number,” she said. “Somewhere I could ask about any concern, no matter how small, and get a real answer.”
She asked around to see who other moms recommended, and that led her to Cape Fear Valley Pediatric Care in Lillington. The location, just a few minutes away, was the first plus for Kristen.
“We live in a rural area where there wasn’t always a ton of access to healthcare,” she said. “But this is right down the road, which is really nice.”
Just days after baby Levi’s long-awaited birth, he had his first visit to the practice. Right away, Kristen said, she knew she had picked the right place.
“From the time you walk in the door to the time you leave, you feel like family,” she said. “They know us when we come in, and they take their time with whatever questions we have.”
Alison Vurnakes, MD, is Levi’s pediatrician and says it’s important for the practice to have that kind of atmosphere.
“We always want this to be a warm and welcoming environment,” she said. “We make a really big effort to make families comfortable so they can feel open to ask us anything.”
That’s especially important with a new baby, Dr. Vurnakes added.
“It’s really hard to have a newborn,” she said. “Sometimes the birth didn’t go the way you expected, or breastfeeding isn’t off to an easy start. And you’re not getting any sleep. So we try to be very reassuring, and almost like cheerleaders, to let them know they’re doing a good job.”
Building that rapport doesn’t just mean a pleasant time in the office, Dr. Vurnakes said. It helps to build an ongoing relationship, which contributes to a healthier childhood overall.
“If I already know a child, and I know their history, it makes it easier to figure out what’s happening when something is wrong,” she said. “If you haven’t met this child, or they haven’t come in regularly, you spend a lot of time trying to get caught up with their history, and you might miss something.”
It also helps parents to feel more comfortable asking about pressing issues, and to feel more confident in the answers they get. Dr. Vurnakes said vaccine hesitancy is a good example of this, with misinformation on the rise in recent years.
“I try to reassure parents as much as I can that vaccines are well studied and very safe,” she said. “They need to know there are some serious life-threatening consequences from not being vaccinated, and it’s easier to accept that advice from a doctor they have gotten to know. I think it helps to add that my own children are vaccinated, and I am glad I made that choice for them.”
As her patients grow and have their own questions, Dr. Vurnakes added, having a long-standing relationship with them helps to smooth the path to more sensitive conversations.
“It makes a big difference with teenagers,” she said. “If they’re going through bullying or anxiety, depression, peer pressure, they’re a lot more willing to talk to you if they feel like they have a connection.”
The teen years are a long way off for baby Levi, of course, but as he approaches his second birthday, Kristen is glad to have found a long-term relationship with Cape Fear Valley Pediatric Care.
“They have always been so quick to respond when he’s sick, and to answer any questions we come in with,” she said. “It’s nice when a doctor’s office truly cares about the community and the people they’re serving.”
To make an appointment with Cape Fear Valley Pediatric Care – Lillington, call (910) 892-4248. To find a pediatrician close to you, click here.
